Sticking with my latest fascination for vintage and colonial cocktails, this drink is a tweak of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Haitian Libation as described in an article from Vanity Fair. Leo Robitschek, who recreated that libation, used 1-1/2 ounces orange juice, 3 ounces dark rum, 1 egg white and a dash brown sugar in Roosevelt's original version. Being the rebel I am (just following in our forefather's footsteps), I had to tinker with that and make it my own.
I replaced the regular rum with spiced rum, added powdered sugar, used pomegranate syrup instead of dark brown sugar* then added a dry shake to the mixing steps to get the high volume egg froth. I also adjusted the ratios to suit my personal preferences. This, like my Meringue Island Punch as well as a number of colonial cocktails, also includes egg white - another recent craze of mine.
SPICED POMEGRANATE RUM FIZZ
3 Oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
2 Oz. Fresh Orange Juice
1 Pasteurized Egg White
2 Tsp. Pomegranate Simple Syrup
(Syrup Recipe Link below)
1 Tsp. Powdered Sugar
Orange Wheel
Cinnamon Stick
Add the spiced rum, orange juice, egg white and the powdered sugar to a blender to emulsify the mixture and build the egg foam.
Pour this into an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake until chilled.
Pour into your chilled glass, add the pomegranate syrup over the top of the foam and shake off the last drops to float on the foam.
Garnish with a fun orange wheel and cinnamon stick and serve.
If this doesn't get your spirits all ready for a happy hour revolution I'm siccing the Red Coats on you. Unless you're English, in which case, mea culpa and apologies for the Red Coats comment!
* Robitschek's recipe calls for dark brown sugar, which is basically molasses mixed with regular white cane sugar, and this pomegranate syrup has a definite molasses hint to it plus it brings in the flavor of pomegranate.
There's a big trend these days for revamping antique cocktails, particularly recipes from Colonial America where the beginnings of the modern cocktail got its start. Being a huge fan of the history of cocktails I ventured into modernizing retro recipes a while back, starting with the Rattled Skull, my Sleepy Hollow inspired rendition of the colonial Rattleskull cocktail, then venturing into Shrubs aka Drinking Vinegars and Flavored Simple Syrups.
For our Forefathers the mixing of libations was born from necessity, whether it be medicinal or palatable, for us it is a matter of the enjoyment of new combinations of tastes and textures, born out of a love of new experiences. The art of cocktails, like the art of cooking, is having a renaissance and exposing happy hour to the past as well as the future of mixology.
From infusions, bitters, syrups and shrubs, evolved from ancient herbal remedies and preservation techniques, the cocktail has passed through the ages to a rebirth of exciting new and reimagined liquid enjoyment. It's probably the best time for cocktail enthusiasts in drinking history as even the most pedestrian establishments feature signature cocktails made with fresh, quality ingredients and bartenders embrace craft cocktails by venturing into new flavor combination horizons. For someone like me it's a chance to bring my cooking skills and food knowledge to my bar as well as my kitchen, aided by my love of history.
Inspired by Ulysses S. Grant's Meringue and Roman Punch, recreated by Leo Robitschek for Vanity Fair, this cocktail is my modern Tiki Bar take on those vintage Presidential libations. Robitschek's original ingredients were the juice of 2 oranges, 8 ounces of champagne, 8 cups rum, 2 ounces orange liqueur, 1 quart lemon sherbet, 2 egg whites, 5 drops lemon juice, 3 cups powdered sugar and featured a baked meringue topping. His recipe makes a full punch bowl, I adjusted the measurements to make one cocktail. I also played with the flavor elements to take advantage of ingredients I had on hand. Then I made lemon flavored meringue cookies instead of creating a baked meringue topping. The Blue Curacao I use as the orange liqueur gave my cocktail a distinct Bimini blue color and the meringue cookies were like a little floating islands so ...
MERINGUE ISLAND PUNCH
1 Oz. Dark Rum
1 Oz. Champagne
1 Oz. Blue Curacao
1/2 Oz. Orange Juice
1/2 Oz. Lemon Juice
1/2 C. Pineapple Sorbet
1 Pasteurized Egg White
1 Tsp. Powdered Sugar
Lemon Meringue Cookie
Orange Twist
Ice
Bake (or buy) the meringue cookies. If you're baking plan ahead. They take a few hours to bake.
Add the rum, Blue Curacao, orange juice, lemon juice, pasteurized eggs white and the pineapple sorbet to a blender and blend - without ice* - until foamy. Pour this mixture into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled.
Pour the cocktail mixture into your glass, top off with champagne, stir.
Place your meringue cookie on top and garnish with the orange twist and serve.
* Blending or shaking without ice is referred to as "dry shaking".
